Michigan Update - Mussels on the Move

From October, 1995 (Update #25)

Several new sightings have been reported and confirmed by Paul Marangelo, a research associate with the Mystic Seaport Maritime Studies Program. To date, Marangelo and assistants sampled 25 lakes in southeastern and northwestern lower Michigan. Adult zebra mussels were found in Lake Lansing (Ingham County), Lower Lake Herring (Benzie County), Diamond Lake (Cass County), and Watkins Lake (Oakland County). Marangelo also noted unconfirmed reports of adult zebra mussels in Holloway Reservoir (Genesee County) and Pleasant Lake (Livingston County). In addition, veligers were discovered in Oakland County's Lakeville Lake. Since sampling began in 1992, approximately 30 Michigan lakes have become infested. "Zebra mussels have spread relatively quickly," Marangelo said, "and quite a few larger lakes will have zebra mussels in the near future." Marangelo's research is an extension of a study started three years ago by Ladd Johnson, now at Laval University, Quebec City, with support from Michigan Sea Grant and the Michigan DNR. This year's inland lake monitoring effort was part of an expanded project funded primarily by the National Sea Grant College Program. Lab analysis of samples is being done by Marangelo and student volunteers from Michigan State University and the University of Michigan. Results of Marangelo's work and other concurrent inland lake research around the state will be presented in a new "Inland Lakes" supplement to the zebra mussel distribution map available from Michigan Sea Grant this fall.

NEW MUSSEL IDENTIFICATION VIDEO IN THE WORKS Michigan Sea Grant is producing a short instructional video on how to monitor for zebra mussel veligers in inland lakes. Paul Marangelo will demonstrate the proper methods for sampling and preserving samples. The video will be distributed in early 1996 - in time for next season's volunteer effort. If you are interested in either the video or the zebra mussel distribution map supplement, contact Michigan Sea Grant's Zebra Mussel Information Office at (517) 353-9748.

ANN ARBOR WATER SUPPLY INFESTED Zebra mussels have invaded Barton Pond, an impoundment of the Huron River and the main source of Ann Arbor's drinking water, according to officials at the Ann Arbor Water Department. The mussels were found attached to an intake line for the cooling pump at the adjoining hydroelectric dam. For the last few years, workers have made bimonthly checks at Barton Pond looking for the invaders. Last October, workers pulled up a cement block and found a handful of zebra mussels attached to it. This summer they showed up in much larger numbers. The city budgeted nearly $100,000 to fight zebra mussels at the water treatment plant, according to Larry Sanford, assistant superintendent at the city's water treatment plant. Utility officials plan to use chemicals to deal with the mussels. A pipeline will be used to add a polymer to the water inflow early in the treatment process.

ID: 199510-12.

The Zebra Mussel Update was a 4- to 8-page quarterly national newsletter published by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute from May 1990 through May 1997. The ZMU documented the spread of the zebra mussel -- an exotic nuisance mussel -- through North America's freshwater environments, especially the Great Lakes, and on efforts to control it.